Longtime Lexington designer Lynn Pedigo died May 24, 2024 after a lengthy illness.
“Beautiful, inside and out,” is how a former employee describes her.
A 1987 design graduate at the University of Kentucky, Pedigo worked for Cravens and Associates, falling in love with architecture in the process, and going on to found Pedigo Design in 1990.
Her firm was a full service residential and commercial design company known for both exterior and interior design. She managed both new builds and historic restorations and remodels and renovations. Her portfolio ranged from downtown lofts and condos to suburban and country estates and horse farms.
She drew the plans for the double-lot Richmond Road Italianate mansion that later sold to the Caliparis.
Having once served as a board member at the Kentucky Horse Park, she worked on design elements for the barns that were constructed for the 2010 World Equestrian Games.
Her award-winning kitchen designs were informed by her love of food culture. She relied on her trusted Joy of Cooking cookbook, often sharing the results with friends and family, but trusting her roots as well. You could count on her for a memory of Damson jelly, or a lively conversation over a bowl of soup beans and country ham, asking, “does anyone remember their grandparents having, after dinner, and before bed, a glass of buttermilk and cornbread crumbled up in it?”
A high school friend remembers, “We would listen to Pat Benatar in her burgundy car riding, singing, and laughing. My mama said she had the blue-est eyes she had ever seen.”
Early in the pandemic, Pedigo immediately put her design skills to work and crafted a line of 200+ stylish face masks, lined, with filters, posting her prototype on facebook, “My first homemade designer face mask: I used scrunchies for the ears — ribbon, liner, and fancy fabric, made on my Singer sewing machine!” She crafted them for “those who want something different; we do not need to use up the important masks that doctors and nurses need.” As the quarantines wore on, she urged her friends “take care of everyone you know. It’s some lonely times, right now….Just check in on folks.”
She had a flair for details large and small, writing sharply observed requiems for the things surrounding her. “Just saying goodbye to my heating pad that I’ve had for 30 years,” she wrote. “You remember the ones that did not automatically shut off? You cannot find those anywhere. I had to buy one today that shuts off after 60 minutes. My old one was all taped up, and producing at half capacity at best, but I’m sad to say goodbye. I know this sounds trivial, but when you have had aches and pains, they are your savior.”
She eulogized a beloved tree a few years back, “Today, the Old Pin Oak in my front yard was removed. It was very sick — 115 years old. We were, however, able to save some baby squirrels that were living in the tree. We have relocated them, to grow strong enough to be released into the woods. I’m planting a new tree in place of the old one, but that old oak will be missed.”
Memorials appear on page 3 of the June 2024 issue of Ace. Click here to page through the digital edition of the June 2024 print issue of Ace. To subscribe to digital delivery of Ace’s print edition each month, click here.
